The Dash between the Dates. Between Birth and Death
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By Omolola Olakunri
“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die…” — Ecclesiastes 3:1–2
There are only two dates that sum up the totality of a person’s time on Earth: the day of birth and the day of death.
Everything else—our dreams, our detours, our triumphs and trials—happens in the space between.
Each day we live moves us closer to one of these two markers. One celebrates our arrival; the other marks our departure. But the real story is written in the in-between.
The years between those two dates are packed with lessons—some gentle, some harsh. We learn that nothing is promised. That parents aren’t chosen. That health, opportunities, and even time are never guaranteed.
We start life with a blank slate—and the power to write our own history.
The Birth of Purpose
Birthdays are not just for cake and candles.
They mark the beginning of a journey—a celebration of growth, education, and experience. Over time, our personalities blossom, our brilliance emerges. Our gifts and talents sharpen. Our scars and setbacks shape us.
Every birthday invites soul-searching and introspection.
Why are we here?
What will we do with the time we’ve been given?
What will posterity say about us?
It may remind you of Imelda Marcos—known not for impact, but for her infamous 2,000-pair shoe collection and extravagant jewelry. A life of wealth, yes—but what legacy?
In contrast, it will honour the likes of Dr. Ruth Gottesman, the American philanthropist who donated $1 billion to fund tuition for all students at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine. A quiet widow who chose to uplift generations with her giving.
Posterity will celebrate Tobi Amusan, the Nigerian track star who broke barriers to become the first Nigerian to win gold at the World Athletics Championships. And Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, whose voice has redefined African storytelling on the global stage.
But birthdays aren’t just for the obviously “successful.”
Some beginnings are rough. Some journeys start with lemons.
Oscar Pistorius, born with a congenital defect, had both legs amputated before his first birthday. Yet he defied expectations to become a world-class athlete.
Cobhams Asuquo, born blind, became one of Nigeria’s most celebrated music producers and songwriters—proof that limitations don’t define legacy.
Certain names have come to be associated with achievements.. Alfred Nobel, the Nobel Prize, Neil Armstrong, the First man on the moon.. Adolf Hitler, Holocaust. Florence Nightingale.. Selflessness.
Each birthday is an invitation: to reset, to rethink, to rise.
There’s always room for redemption—like the prodigal son.
New beginnings. Forgiveness. Repentance. Reinvention.
As long as we wake up to another sunrise, hope lives.
The Final Day
Then comes the other date: the day of departure. The deathday.
It reminds us of life’s finality. When breath ceases, the book of life is closed. No more edits. No more chapters. No more rewrites.
Talents that could have shaken the world lie unused.
Dreams die with their dreamers.
The noise of fear, pressure, and distraction often silences the quiet whisper of destiny.
I remember the story of a young man who was once voted Most Likely to Succeed in his college yearbook—the MVP of his class. A brilliant mind. Endless creativity. Vision. Passion.
But that was over four decades ago.
Today, that same MVP lies silent in a magnificent casket paid for by classmates who once believed in his promise. There are no speeches, no tributes. Only grief. And a hollow sense of loss—for the life that could have been.
The fingers that might have painted masterpieces better than Picasso’s were paralyzed by fear.
The unwritten novels.
The genius lost to addiction.
The soprano voice that never left her hometown.
The med school dropout who might have discovered a cure—if only he had persevered.
Live the Dash
Unrealized potential is one of life’s greatest tragedies.
It is a silent scream that echoes beyond the grave.
This is why birthdays matter.
They are not just markers of time.
They are opportunities to realign with purpose, to forgive ourselves, to try again.
So, as we mark each year—whether with laughter or quiet reflection—let us not only count our years.
Let us make our years count.
Because between the day we are born and the day we die lies our one chance to live a life that echoes beyond the grave.
What will your dash say about you?
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